My washer will not spin. This is a bit different from, "My washer will not drain." But the two operations are intimately connected. Check out "My washer will not drain" first. Front loaders will not spin at all until all the water is gone.
Consequently it is always critical to insure that the drain pump is working properly before addressing other spin problems. Front loaders time the drain cycle and shut down if the pressure switch detects any presence of either suds or water. Use of bad or non He high efficiency soap will result in a no spin condition. Error codes will occur.
Over Suds Error Code - No Spin
Front loaders fail to spin for other reasons. The computer checks the following before full power is sent to the motor.
1. Motor rotation must be detected by the rotation sensor built into the motor.
LG Hall Sensor (RPS)
2. As discussed all the water or suds must be gone.
3. The Motor Control Unit (MCU) checks the belt, motor, itself and the central computer (CCU). Communication between these devices can be troublesome. Corrosion on the interconnecting cables and molexes can cause intermittent errors. Motors and belts rarely fail.
Motor & Motor Control Unit (also called inverter board)
Main Computer Board or Central Control Unit (CCU)
4. The door must be locked and the locking mechanism must confirm that the door is locked. The washer will not do anything if the door lock fails. It is not possible to test a door lock with a meter; replace it and see if it works is the correct procedure. The door lock is one of the few items that can be interchanged between certain brands.
Common Door Lock Showing Release Tab
If any of these conditions are not met, the computer will either shut down and display an error or only go into a low speed spin. The error code will point you in the right direction.
5. The most common cause for lack of full speed spin is a broken tripod. A crack in the tripod casting will allow the tub to shake and make a terrible racket. A tripod is the casting behind the tub that supports it:
Tripod and Tub
Tripod with Cracked Casting
Usually the computer will show error codes for all types of failures except a broken tripod or noisy bearings. However, the MCU may detect something amiss in the shaking of the machine and will not allow full speed rotation. Your ears, however, will quickly find the problem. In some cases the tub may shake enough to damage or burn the front plastic shroud just behind the door boot. Do not attempt to repair a bad tripod or noisy main bearings.
GE Boot and Tub